1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chutes for moving articles. More particularly, it concerns a conveyor chute for selectively moving articles from a substantially vertical line of motion to a substantially horizontal line of motion.
2. Description of Related Art
A common problem in industry is the selective movement and spacing of articles effectively from one location to another. This problem is especially encountered when the source of articles releases the articles from a height in a vertically downward direction using gravity, such as from a vertical bagging machine, for selective placement onto a transversely moving, horizontal conveyor belt. Such an application presents the problems of depositing the article without damaging it and doing so with the desired spacing and orientation. The placement and spacing on a cross conveyor can be important or critical for subsequent automated handling.
One approach that has been used to move articles from a vertical freefall to a cross conveyor is a curved chute such as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The curved chute can be effective to both break the fall of the product and suitably direct it to the horizontal conveyor belt, especially when the conditions yield substantially constant coefficients of friction between the products and the chute. If the coefficient of friction varies, however, such as with frozen products having condensation or with other products for which the coefficient of friction varies with humidity, the differences in friction coefficients can cause products to stick to the chute or move through the chute at differing velocities, resulting in uneven spacing of products. The resulting article spacing inconsistency can cause subsequent product loss or mishandling, especially if subsequent steps are automated.
It has also been observed that a simple chute can be ineffective with articles that have varying coefficients of friction unless those articles are effectively “rolled” down the chute to negate or minimize issues relating to friction. Additionally, because a simple chute moves articles purely through gravitational force, such a chute provides no capability to increase the velocity at which articles exit the chute to control or facilitate the desired spacing.
There appear to exist several examples of article-moving devices of varying degrees of complexity and specialization that move articles from a first level to a second lower level. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,788,113, entitled “Conveying Belt for Cigars,” discloses a conveyor that includes guide ridges to transversely orient and equally space cigars. The reference, however, does not disclose an apparatus for receiving falling articles as from a vertical bagging machine.
Another device for moving articles is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,276, entitled, “Direction Changing in Conveyance Systems.” The system disclosed in the '276 patent appears to transfer cigarette-like articles from a first conveyor at a given level to another conveyor that is transverse to the first and at the same level as the first. This reference therefore does not appear to disclose a device that is designed to safely move a vertically falling product to a transversely moving horizontal conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,767, entitled, “Impact Compensating Means for Belt Conveyors,” appears to disclose a device designed to work in conjunction with a gravity chute having a final vertical drop or other gravity-based article delivery system. The device of the '767 patent discloses a spring-supported plate positioned under a conveyor belt to resiliently receive articles as they arrive by falling from above. This reference, however, does not appear to disclose a device adapted to provide the selective spacing of articles on a transverse conveyor.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device for moving articles having variable shapes, sizes, and friction coefficients while translating a vertical component of motion to a horizontal component of motion in a manner that precludes or minimizes damage to the article while facilitating consistent selective deposition of the articles upon a transversely moving conveyor.